Fort Worth's city manager presented the FY2027 recommended budget on August 11 with a proposed property-tax rate of $0.7020 per $100 of assessed value. Council budget sessions are examining street maintenance, utility and stormwater fees, staffing vacancies, code-compliance reductions and other service choices before a September 15 adoption vote. Because the recommended rate is higher than the current adopted rate, residents are effectively deciding how much additional revenue is justified to maintain services and infrastructure in a rapidly growing city versus keeping taxes and fees lower. Rapid growth creates real infrastructure bills, but growth also expands the tax base. Residents should know why the proposed rate itself needs to rise.